Portable electric lamp



W. AfHARVEY. PORTABLE ELECTRIC LAMP. APPLICATION man JUNE 1s. 192|.

.WH Si Patented Dec.. 12, 1922'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- 'l rlmll l l W. A. HARVEY. PORTABLE'ELEGTRIC LAMP. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 19'21.

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trroz we 133 Application tiled `June 13,

To @ZZ whom @'25 may concern.'

Be it known that l, Winnaar A, riAnveY, United ,til etes, anda resident e citizen oi the ot ri'cranton, in the county and State certain neuT ot lennsylvenia,

and use-ful improvements in oi Laclravvanna have invented Portable Electric Lamps, of which the iol lowing 1s a specification.

My i nven'tion re which Y zrticularly to si may be convenl desirs tables and the like. y

The main feature et importance oi' my invention this tylpe wherein there are ine; the d I i 111 this benaii an improvement 'on LEES/{hilt} granted to me lfortal ile l a in; vided :tor regulating ight here proven p ar t in l` how'ei; er.

regiilation te and in no Way u durability et the lamp. behalf ii'iy invention excels in its`simes.A

cmuplisnine; this ula easy to mar. eilicienc'v and this t oe he me.

that `such par;1

the occasion ar ree oi brilliance y invention is in the nature ot .is in which the brilliaticularly attractive. lt that the means for aclates to electric lamps and mple portable lamps ently placed upon is that oi providing a lamp of means fop vary; et the light, 1n

Patent Number y Sist, 1921.

means are pro- ?.ice oi the must be simple, atiect the lil importance that r r f; e parts in an article ot invention to provide e lam type illustrated in my patent which hoirvever,

referred to in ment oil. the pa which control current may be properly disposed la mp.

rts is such t the assembled va's a unit and then Within reg'iilation ot de comparatively simple and he made removable should e when it becomes necessary more of the parts. `ject fol1 my present p oi the general hereinbeil'ore the arrange# hat the elemerrbs the light the base of the ln this 'behalilprovide a circular base plate 'ot' suitable dimensions to he cfjii'itained within the hollou7 lamp structure.

Upon this port the resistance coil or et' spring contact members and the associated terminals.

he assembled the base ot the These pa enable it to base ot the base plate l supelement, a series rts can obviously nl thereafter placed Within main plii'yine the device consid `|dp'oint oit nia-nutrie ambisce oi parts to pairs are neeess structure, thereby sim er ably trom the ture and enabling this be removed when reary to any element thereof.

ieei. serial ne. rtree?. y

rinother Afeature oit this improved structure is that et' efficiently providing ventilation fior the base o2 the lamp in Which is reposed'the resistance element. A certain amount et ventilation is necessary in order to dissipate the heat which isV generated when a Whole or a part et the resistance elenient is active. y n v in this 'behalf the bottom plate or closure iior the open side oi'. the base is stepped and the peripheral section thereof formed with n series otV apertures. rlflie ltop part oi' the bese is likewise apertured and thereby forml ing; a ventilation path which extends trom` the under side et the lamp upward through the base and out at the top side ot the base.

Various other vieaturesA dit structural im` pertence are shown in the accompanying drawing and will be described more iullylin the accompar ng specification. y

in the drawings Figure lis a side eleva tion oft the lamp constructed in accordance with my invention. s

itin-ure is an enlarged section ot the base et the lamp, n i, re is bottom plan View with the l r-ase pla te removed;

Fig

arrows and Figure 6 is a diagrammatic View7 of the circuit employed `1n this construction. y

in lliogure l the assembled lamp 1s .illus` *grated and is shown as comprising; a base A, t

:i standard or post 'B which is oli decorative coniiguration, an electric light socket and bulb C and a shade DI i A hollen7 post l0 extends centrally oi lthe decorative portion B and is screw-threadedly united at its lower end to thebase in a manner to be more fully hereinafter described. l

The base a is termed ot' a rece sed block ll which may be and is `preteralgym termed et Wood. l have found that the us et balsa Wood is particularly advantageous inasmuch as it has nn extraordinary' [low degree oit conductivity and hence is eiieet-ive in insulating the outer surface of the base trom the heat which may be generated during the use oi the lamp. metal shell l2 ot decorative configuration lcove-rs the bloeit ll'.

rif'he bloeit "il is formed with a centrally into the spider thereby clamping betheY upper member C tween these two elements the block 11.l The spider 15 is provided centrally thereof with a screw-threaded 'aperture 1"? which engages the lower end of the post '10 thereby uniting to the base. The decorative members B may be of a standard type as is the socket and it consequently follows that the socket C may be screw-threaded to the upper end of the post 10 and the decorative members B slipped thereon and the whole structure united with the base by screwing the lower end of the post 10 into the spider Alinishing top plate 18 which likewise may beof decorative configuration is disposed centrally ol the base and at the top thereo'i' as clearly shown in. Figures `1 and 2. This top plate has a centrally disposed aperture 19 to permit the passage or the post 10 therethrough and a multiplicity of radially disposed apertures 20 which provide communication to the interior of the base to assist in its ventilation and dissipation or the heat generated therein.V This top plate 18 may be formed of any suitable material but herein it is illustrated as formed of wood. Secured to the top plate 18 and at one side thereof is a metal strap 21 held in place preferably by screws 22. A. thumb screw 23 engages by reason of' its screwthreaded shank 24.- with a threaded aperture in the strap 21 and' projects through aligned openings 25 and 26 in the top plate 18 and shell'12 respectively. The block 11 is formed with a vertically disposed opening in which is slidabli mounted aliber alu 2/'4". rl`he end J ll of the screw shanlr 2e is adapted to contact the liber plug 27 asclearly shown in Figure 2 and upon" proper rotation of the thumb screw to move this liber plug downwardly, for a purpose to be vmore fully hereinafter described. For uniting the top plate 18'iand the shell 12 l provide screws 28 having elongated heads 29. These screws Apass upwardly through the shell and are tl'ireadedointo the top plat-e163. rihe top face oi the block 11 is recessed as at 30 in order to kaccommodate the elongded heads 29 of the screws 28. Thus, when assembling the several parts the bloclr 11 will be properly aligned to enable the thumb screw 23 to operate the 'lber plug 27. By referring to Figures 2, 3 and et, the

elements of the lamp structurek rcarried by contact 35.

Laseysse the unit for varying the degree of brilliance of the light Vwill be described. il. circuler base plateoi insulating' material 31 is provided ol such dimensions as to enable the recess of the block ll-to accommodate the same. ecured at separated radial points to the base 31 are fiber supporting posts32, which support a resistance coil or element Supporting elements 32 are held inl place pre-ferably by flat headed screws 34 which pass assemblage of parts which form through these supporting elements and into the baseplate 31. contacts 35, 36 and base31, the contact Resistance controlling 37 are mounted on the 35k being rigid, the contacts 36 and 37 being resilient. The free ends oi" these contacts are superposed and register with an opening 38 formed in the base plate 31. The liber -plug 27 is adapted to slide ythrough this opening 38 and engage the uppermost contact 37, which is a spring contact, to cause it and thereafter to' cause contact 36 to engage contact 35, thus successively cutting out sectioiisof the resistance element. The contact member 35 is rigid so as to limit the movement of spring' contacts l36 and 37'.

Wires 39 connect the contacts to the resistance coil so that the ilow of the current therethrough can be regulated as will be explained more fully hereinafter. rll'wo-wire cord i0 is admitted to the recess of the bloei; 11 through an aperture d1 r'ornied in one side thereof and thel base plate is cut away as at ll2 to accommodate this cord. A strain resistance elementy in the form oi a bloei; or insulation i3 is secured to the base plate31 by screws '4l-4 and provided with apertures for the wires oi the cord l0 as is clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. These wires are snubbed around the ends of the bloclr 43, one wire being connected to spring contact 37 and the other to a plate llo, which carries a terminal i6 for one or" the wires l5? which leads to the light. The other wire L17' is connected to terminal L18 For retaining the base plate 31'within the recess of the bloclr 11 provide screws 49, preferably three innumber which project upwardly through thebase plate 31 and are screwed into threaded apertures 50 formed in the ring washer 14e. ..'lhus after assemblage oit the several parts just described, the base plate 31 thereby can be positioned the bloclr l1 and retained screws 49.

As hereinbefore stated, the bottom of the base is open and `for closing this opening there is provided a cover plate 51 shouldered circumferentially as clearly illustrated in l.T gures 1 'and 2, to provide a pedestal portion 52. Arranged radially of the cover 51 and near the periphery thereof, there are a in the recess of there by these i oc Lacasse multiplie-.ity of apertures 53, which cooperate with the apertures() formed in the top plate 18 i'or @alter-ding ventilation to the base of the larnp. l

il strut t is disposed across a central aperture formed in the base plate 3l and is secured in place at one end by the screw t9 which engages a semi-circular depression 56 Aformed in the 'end oi the strut 5l. The other end of the strut has a hook-shaped end 5'( which engages a screw' 58. Rigidlyfprojecting :troni` the strut "54 is ya. screw-threaded shank 59. 4This shank 59 projects through an aperture'iorined in the cover `plate 5l as clearly shownfin Figure 42. The cover plate is 'formed with a centrally` disposed depression in which `is lodged a Washer-GOA and a nut Gl screwed on the `screw-thieaded shank 59 and holds the cover plate 5l in place. The strut 5l is obviously removable, thus permitting access to the Wires 47 during `the assembling of the vparts of this device.

ln order to eliminate the danger of sparks which might be caused by short circr'ii-ting of the several wireswithin the base from esn capinp; therethrough, ll provide sheets of perforated `material f G2 and 63 disposed above and below the base plate 3l respec-r tively. This material is preferably yfine mesh wire ,netting and the sheet 62 is held in place by the Washer vlll While the sheet 63 is clamped between theb'lock `ll and the cover 5l. tured centrally thereoflz to permit passage of thevfxvires i7 therethrough.`

In `lb.,f ,1fure 6` "l have diagrammatically illustrated the wiring circuit employed thiscevice. Positive and negative Wires been` rotated to canse plug QT@ to be ydepressed erllecting a contact between contact members 37 -andBGa thecircuit Xvillbe as follows: From Wire E to termi-nal` G, through contacts 37 and 36L to point H, thence through the remaining portion oi the resistance 33a, through wire 46a 'to the light and then to thenegative Wired?.`

Finally when ythumb screw 23H lhasupon t' irther manipulation lcaused the liber plug to eil'ect a` contact bet-Ween Icontacts 36a and 35 the circuit is as follows: from the positive Wire E to ternnnal G contacts 37a, 86a and B5 to `terrninal l, then through wired@a to the light and thence to the negijative wire.

lt isrquite obvious fironi, the foregoing description that rotat' on of thumb screw 23 ca ses successive engagement of the cont-acts which engagement cuts out sections of the insistance.V When the contactsy are in the Obviously the sheet '62 is aper` in` E and F are connected to asu'itablesource of the light, then re" then through i position illustrated Figure, 6, the entire resistance is in circuit diagr ainniatic ally in with the light and hence this light burns with its least degree of brilliance. lV hen the contacts are all in engagement one with another, the resistance element is outol' the circuit yand the light burns its highest degree oi2 brilliance.

Y rlhe advantages of a structure such as deywhich is not noticeably larger than standard lamps of this type Which are now on the inarlret. f y

Furtherl outstanding advantage of this invention resides in the Jfact that the several i elements which control the brilliance of the light may be assembled separately iro-rn the lainp and then inserted therein. ln this beh'aliit should be noted that the strut 5l is removable and is to be positioned rupon the base plate `3l after this base plate has been secured in position and the Wires which lead to thelight have been properly connected to their terminals. `f lhe `strut 54C after` bein- ,secured to the base plate then affords means nlor attachingpthe cover 51. c

The shouldered coverl the'base suliiciently ifrointhe table or` the like upon which it is placed solas to permit air to enter the Ventilating openings and to pass around-the resistance element and then outthrough the openings 2G ilforined in the cover plate lib This ventilation eii'ectun ally `dissipates the heat v-hicn nfgitnralljrre sults from `activity oft the resistance el As stated hereinbelore, the body or h1 is preferably7 made of wood, altho some `instances other material whos conductivity is lovt be employed. s also stated hereinbeiore, l have 'found .it particularly advai'itageous to einploy balsa Wood, thereby effectually insulatL the exterior et the larnp bsse from the heat et the coil.` i

l/Vhile `the details oi Construction illus trated in the drawings and described hereinbefore have proved by actual tests cient and desirable, l do not Wish to benn` necessarilyT limited, but speciiicall); reserve the "fht'toinalie such fh 1 nd mof'iicatioi as come within the purvi. accompanying claims.

`Claires l@ A. portable electric light lixture `coinprising a base,

to be elli ering said block, a removable unit adapted `upon said base and operatively engaging said plate for removably place.

a base, asupport projecting vertically therefrom, a socket and electric light bulb carried by said support, a circuit for said electric light bulb, said base comprising CIJ nected tov i thumb screw mounted on y light carried thereby,

a recessed wooden blockv open at the bottom thereof, a metallic shell covering said Wooden block,

unit for controlling the degree of brilliance orn said light comprising a circular plate of, ak resistance coil carried a` set of contacts electrically con'-v said resistance coil,said resista-nce insulating material, thereby,

coil and contacts being included in said electric light circuit, a fiber plug slidablymounted in said wooden block and positioned so as to engage-'said contacts, a

operatively engaging said liber plug, screws itorsecuring said tcp plate tolsaid metallic shell, said screws being provided with elongated heads, cooperating recesses fornied in the top face ot said wcoden said screw heads and recesses cooperate to properly align said shell and top plate with n.

said wooden block, a cover ifor' the open side of said,V recess and means carried by saidfinsulating plate for removably securingv said cover in place. Y f 3. A portable electric light fixture coinprising a base, a support projecting fromv said base, an electric light socket and electric circuitfor said electric light, said base ybeing termed of a wooden block provided with a recess'open -at one side, a` metallic shell covering' said wooden block, atop plate ksecured to said a part otsaid base,`ya.re i

shell and forming movable plate secured within said recess, a resistance coil carried'by said plate, `a set ot contact members electrically connectedv to said resistance for' controlling the same,- resistance element being said contacts and connected to said electric Vlight circuit, means carried by said top .plateand wooden bloclr and operatable from the top side of said base for causing the successive engagement of said contacts, a cover for closing to said plate, a setk of said recessed block andportable electric light fixture com-` a top plate for said base, a removable` said top plate and block whereby kinsulating ring and block, means for screw-threadedly unitingv the lower end o-said pipe andsaid spider,

said recess, a strut lcarried by saidfreniov-l able plate, means projecting-from said strut for removably'securing said cover plate in position, said top plate and cover plate being providedfwith a Vmultiplicity `ol: apertures for ventilatingvthe interior of said base.

4. A portable electric-light Xture-comprisin'g a base, a support projecting therefrom, an electric light socket and bulb carried by said support, a circuit l'or said electric light, said support being formedoi' a pipe,-the'wires of said electricllight circuit passing through `said pipe, said base being formed of a recessedblock'open atits bottom side, a metallic shell covering said base, a top' plate secured to said shell,fsaid wooden block being provided with'a central aperture communicating with said recess, a-spider spanning said aperturefat thel top 'of said block, a ringv of insulating material surrounding' the edge: of said aperture atfthe' bottom of said recess, screws passing through saidring of insulating material, said wooden block andinto lsaid spider for clamping said insulating ring and spider tosaid wooden block, means for screw-threadedly uniting the lower end of said lpipe andv said spider, a' removable .element disposed within said recess, said' removable sistance coil carried thereby, a set of contacts for controlling saidl resistance, said contacts and resistance coil beingrelectrically interconnected andv connectedl to said electric light circuit, screws passing through said' plate and into said insulating ring for removably' securingv said plate within said recess7 a shouldered the open side of said"recess,' a removable strut carried by said plate and means projecting `from said str-ut `for removably securing-said cover plateinposition. t

5. A portable velectric light fixture comprising a base,"a support projecting therefrom, an electric light socket and bulb carried lby said support, a circuitfor said kelectric light, said support being formed of a pipe, `the wires ot said electric lightcircuit. passing through said' pipe, said base being formed of a recessed block open at its bottom side, ametallic shell covering said base.. a top plate securedv to said shell, said wooden block being provided with a'central'aperture communicating with said recess`,a spider spanning said aperture at the top yolf said block, a-Iringof insulatingl material surrounding vthe edge of said aperture at the bottom of said' recess, `screws passing through said ring of insulating material, saidy wooden block and into said spider for clampingv'said spider to said wooden a removable element disposedv within'said recess, said removable element comprising a kelement comprising a circular plate' of insulating material, a recover plate `for closing .sstance coll carried thereby, a

circular plete of insulating materiel, e reset of consaid tacts for controlling said resistance,

"contacts and resistance col'beng electrically interconnected and connected to seid electric light circuit, screws passing thfougll said plate and into said `insulating ring for removably securing seid plate Within said recess, a shouldered cover plete for closing 10 the open sldeof seid recess, a removable strut carried by said plate, means projecting from seid stmt for removably securing sa-ld cover plate in position, apertures formed in sacl top plete and said covel plate for plovdng ventilation 'for the interior of said bese and sheets of perlolete materalsecmed in place rtbove and below said movable unit by said insulating ring and cover plate respectively.

v WLLIAM A. HARVEY.

a multiplcty of 

